Homemade ketchup

This year we decided to cut High Fructose Corn Syrup from our diet.  Ketchup is one item that contains HFCS and although you can find some brands that do not contain it, I found a recipe while I was searching and discovered that ketchup is super easy to make.  We love this recipe and we will never go back to store bought ketchup.  There is just something really great about knowing exactly what goes into your food, because you put it there.   Having a nine year old at our house, we use a lot of ketchup.  The first time I tried to make ketchup I slaved for hours stewing and chopping my own tomatoes, only for it to fail.  When I ran across this recipe I thought I didn’t have anything to lose. 

1.       Ingredients:

(2) 6 oz cans of tomato paste

½ cup white vinegar

4 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

¼ tsp allspice

1 tsp salt

2 tsp agave nectar

2 ½ cups water

  I actually leave out the onion powder because someone in our family has an allergy to onions.

2.       Cook

Put all the ingredients in a saucepan with a lid and simmer over low heat for 2 hours or until it reaches that ketchup consistency.  That is it!  I can’t think of anything any easier than that. 

3.       Bottle

This makes enough to fill up two pint jars.  I usually fill my plastic squeeze bottle and then put the rest in a pint jar.  If your family goes through ketchup fast you could easily store it in the refrigerator in any airtight container.  If not, you could store in mason jars with a simple water bath. (directions below)

Water Bath

It is really easy to do and a canner isn’t necessary.  The jars just need a water bath to seal for storage.  To do this, first wash and heat your jars and rings, either in a dishwasher or by boiling them in a pot on the stove covered completely with water.  Then take them out and set on a towel upside down to dry. Once dry ladle the ketchup into jars, add the rings and new lids and close tightly.  Then set the jars inside a large pot.  Cover them with water.  Bring the water to a boil and let boil for ten minutes.  Remove the jars from the water and sit them on the counter to cool.  Any store that sells canning supplies carries the tools you need to remove your jars and rings out of the boiling water.  You will start to hear the jar lids pop.  Once they have popped, they have sealed.  You can press your finger in the middle of the lid to test the seal.  If they do not seal (which is rare) refrigerate and use over the next few weeks.  If they are sealed store them in a dry, dark place where the temperature stays consistent.